U.S. patent application number 11/043216 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-01 for wireless terminal for carrying out visible light short-range communication using camera device.
This patent application is currently assigned to LTD Samsung Electronics Co.. Invention is credited to Keum, Ji-Eun, Lee, Hyeon-Woo, Lee, Jong-Hwa, Song, Jae-Yeon, Yang, Seung-Kee.
Application Number | 20050265731 11/043216 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35425392 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050265731 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Keum, Ji-Eun ; et
al. |
December 1, 2005 |
Wireless terminal for carrying out visible light short-range
communication using camera device
Abstract
Disclosed is a wireless communication system using visible light
and, more particularly, a short-range wireless communication system
using a camera sensor module and a flash module mounted on a
wireless terminal. The wireless terminal utilizes an LED and a
camera sensor selectively for performing camera functions in a
wireless terminal and as interface modules for visible light
short-range communication.
Inventors: |
Keum, Ji-Eun; (Suwon-si,
KR) ; Lee, Jong-Hwa; (Suwon-si, KR) ; Song,
Jae-Yeon; (Seoul, KR) ; Lee, Hyeon-Woo;
(Suwon-si, KR) ; Yang, Seung-Kee; (Suwon-si,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHA & REITER, LLC
210 ROUTE 4 EAST STE 103
PARAMUS
NJ
07652
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.;
LTD
|
Family ID: |
35425392 |
Appl. No.: |
11/043216 |
Filed: |
January 26, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
398/183 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04B 10/116 20130101;
H04B 10/114 20130101; H04M 1/22 20130101; H04M 1/72412 20210101;
H04M 2250/52 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
398/183 |
International
Class: |
H04B 010/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 28, 2004 |
KR |
2004-38588 |
Jul 20, 2004 |
KR |
2004-56593 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wireless terminal having a camera device for performing
visible light communication, comprising: a camera sensor module
having a plurality of photo diodes (PDs); a Light Emitting Diode
(LED) module for modulating signals; and a controller coupled to
the camera sensor and the LED for selectively activating a a
predetermined number of the PDs provided in the camera sensor
module when performing the visible light short-range
communication.
2. The wireless terminal according to 1, wherein the controller
activates all the PDs provided in the camera sensor when capturing
an image.
3. The wireless terminal according to 1, wherein the camera sensor
module is a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor.
4. The wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the camera
sensor module is a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor)
image sensor.
5. A wireless terminal having a camera device for performing
visible light communication, comprising: an LED (Light Emitting
Diode) module; an LED driver for controlling the LED module; a
camera sensor module having a plurality of photo diodes (PDs) for
converting optical signals into electric signals; a data processor
for processing data; a modulator coupled to the LED driver for
modulating the data; and a demodulator coupled to a processor for
demodulating the data, wherein the wireless terminal is controlled
selectively to activate a predetermined number of the PDs included
in the camera sensor module for visible light short-range
communication.
6. The wireless terminal according to claim 5, wherein the LED
driver causes the LED module to be operated according to the
electric signals transferred from the modulator.
7. The wireless terminal according to claim 5, wherein the camera
sensor module senses optical signals through the predetermined
number of activated PDs and converts them into electric
signals.
8. The wireless terminal according to 5, wherein the camera sensor
module is a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor.
9. The wireless terminal according to claim 5, wherein the camera
sensor module is a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor)
image sensor.
10. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data
representing sequences of instructions, and the sequences of
instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the
processor to: transmit data using a Light Emitting Diode (LED)
module during a communication mode; and activate a predetermined
number of the PDs provided in a camera sensor device during the
communication mode.
11. The machine-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the
memory is further configured to allow the processor to capture an
image using the camera sensor device by activating all the photo
diodes (PDs).
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims priority to applications both
entitled "Wireless Terminal For Carrying Out Visible Light
Short-Range Communication Using Camera Device," filed in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office on May 28, 2004 and assigned Ser. No.
2004-38588, and filed on Jul. 20, 2004 and assigned Ser. No.
2004-56593, respectively, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a wireless communication
system and, more particularly, to a short-range wireless
communication system having a camera sensor module and a flash
module mounted on a wireless terminal.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] FIG. 1 shows a conventional wireless communication system
using (infrared ray) IR for short-range communication. As shown,
the system using IR utilizes Peer to Peer (PtoP) communication
between wireless terminals 11, 12. Each wireless terminal includes
an IR transceiver 101, 102 composed of a transmitter having an LED
(Light Emitting Diode) for carrying out the IR transmission, an
optical modulator, a receiver having a PD (Photo Diode), and a
demodulator, wherein an IR link 13 is formed when both IR
transceivers 101, 102 face each other.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the conventional
wireless terminal system. As shown, the system includes a camera
sensor module 26 for sensing optical signals to receive images, a
camera driver 25 for operating a camera according to the control of
a camera controller 22, an LED module 24, an LED driver 23
connected to the LED module 24 in order to operate the LED module
24 under the control of the camera controller 22, a camera
controller 22 for transmitting control signals to the LED driver 23
and the camera driver 25 under the control of a control module 21,
and an image signal processor 27 that receives and processes image
signals inputted through the camera sensor module 26.
[0007] The conventional IR transmission technique has some
drawbacks. First, it requires mounting an extra component, an IR
transceiver. The IR transmission is accomplished at the speed of
several Mbps which lengthens the transmission time. In addition, it
is difficult to establish the IR link 13 sometimes since the
transmitter and the receiver must face each other. The beam
divergence of a transmitter specified by current Standards
Organization is 30 degrees. If a beam divergence is away from the
specified value, normal communications using IR cannot be
accomplished. Further, it is difficult to make the IR link as the
infrared ray used in the conventional IR communication systems has
a narrow beam divergence, and there is no means for checking
whether an IR link is made or not successfully.
[0008] Due to the above-described problems, short-range
communication systems using visible light have been developed. When
visible light is used, it is possible to make a connection link
with ease due to a broader transmission angle of a transmitter, and
the link establishment can be verified according to the visibility
of visible light.
[0009] Meanwhile, in the wireless terminal market, the demand for a
wireless terminal with camera functions is increasing. Such a
terminal typically has a flash module, such as LEDs, mounted for
supplementing the camera functions. They have advantages in that
they are small in size; they can be easily mounted on wireless
terminals; and they need no time to recharge and thus can be
conveniently used. In contrast, other conventional flash modules
need so-called charge delay time of about 6 seconds for subsequent
photographing. Accordingly, it is expected that LEDs will be more
increasingly used in a wireless terminal having camera functions in
the future.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to meet the
above-mentioned requirement and provides additional advantages, by
providing a wireless terminal for carrying out visible light
short-range communications using a camera device, wherein an LED
and a camera sensor are utilized as interface modules for visible
light short-range communication.
[0011] In one embodiment, there is provided a wireless terminal for
carrying out visible light short-range communication using a camera
device, which includes a wireless terminal equipped with a camera
device including an LED module for supplying light, an LED driver
for controlling the action of the LED module, and a camera sensor
module for sensing optical signals to transform them into electric
signals and for transferring the electric signals. The camera
device further comprises: a data processor for processing data to
be transmitted through visible light short-range communication and
data received through visible light short-range communication; a
modulator for modulating the data for transmission which are
transferred by the data processor into electric signals that are
suitable for a light wireless communication mode and for
transferring the electric signals to the LED driver; and a
demodulator for demodulating the electric signals into data
conformed to the light wireless communication mode and transferring
the data to the data processor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The above features and advantages of the present invention
will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a conventional wireless
communication system using IR;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional wireless
terminal;
[0015] FIGS. 3a and 3b are schematic diagrams showing an embodiment
of a transceiver of a visible light short-range communication
system according to the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a wireless terminal
for carrying out visible light short-range communication using a
camera device according to the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of a camera sensor module
applied to the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a method of controlling a
wireless terminal when carrying out visible light short-range
communication using a camera device according to the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of data
transmission/reception between wireless terminals for carrying out
visible light short-range communication using a camera device
according to the present invention; and
[0020] FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of
data transmission/reception of a wireless terminal for carrying out
visible light short-range communication using a camera device
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the
purposes of clarity and simplicity, a detailed description of known
functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted as
it may make the subject matter of the present invention
unclear.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 3a, the transmitter of a visible light
short-range communication system according to the present invention
includes a data processor 31 for processing data, a modulator 32
for modulating the data output from the data processor 31 into
signals suitable for light wireless communication, and a light
source/optical modulator module 33 for optically modulating the
modulated signals so as to transfer them to an external device.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 3b, a receiver of a visible light
short-range communication system according to the present invention
includes an optical sensor 34 for sensing optical signals
transferred from the external device and converting them into
electric signals, a demodulator 35 for demodulating the electric
signals from the optical sensor 34, and a data processor 31 for
processing the demodulated data.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 4, a wireless terminal having a camera
function to perform visible light short-range communication
according to the present invention includes a camera sensor module
47 for sensing optical signals and converting them into electric
signals, a camera driver 46 for operating the camera sensor module
47, an LED module 45 for supplying light so as to permit efficient
photographing in the dark, an LED driver 44 coupled to the LED
module 45, a camera controller 43 for controlling the LED driver 44
and the camera driver 46 so as to cause the camera sensor module 47
and the LED module 45 to operate, an image signal processor 48 for
processing image signals using the electric signals from the camera
sensor module 47, and a control module 41 for controlling the
camera controller 43 to perform the camera functions. The wireless
terminal further includes a data processor 42 for processing data
for transmission and reception, a modulator 50 for modulating the
data from the data processor 42 into signals suitable for light
wireless communication, and a demodulator 49 for demodulating the
electric signals received from the camera sensor module 47 into
data conformed to a light wireless communication mode.
[0025] In operation, the LED driver 44 performs camera functions of
providing light during a camera mode and performs communication
functions during a communication mode. The camera sensor module 47
senses and converts optical signals into electrical signals and
transfers the sensed signals to the image signal processor 48
during a camera mode, but sends to the demodulator 49 during a
communication mode.
[0026] More particularly, it is not necessary to activate all of
the PDs (Photo Diodes) corresponding to each pixel included in the
camera sensor module 47 when the camera sensor module 47 performs
communication functions. Therefore, once the camera driver 46
receives signals representing communication service from the camera
controller 43, the camera driver 46 may activate a predetermined
number of PDs (Photo Diodes) in the camera sensor module 47 only in
order to perform communication functions.
[0027] Hereinafter, each functional block illustrated in FIG. 4
will be explained in detail.
[0028] First, the modulator 50 modulates the data (RAW data), which
are transferred through the data processor 42 into signals suitable
for light wireless communication. The LED driver 44 performs
optical modulation by turning on/off the LED module 45 according to
the modulated signals.
[0029] Meanwhile, the camera driver 46 prevents the PDs in the
camera sensor module 47 from being entirely activated, thus
preventing duplicate data processing through the switching action
to one or more specific PDs in the camera sensor module 47. The
control signals to such switching action (i.e., control signals
related with a selection between the communication mode and the
camera mode) are transferred through the camera controller 43 under
the control of the control module 41. However, the camera driver 46
may receive such control signals directly from the control module
41.
[0030] FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of a camera sensor module 47
according to the present invention.
[0031] The camera sensor module 47 operates in two modes: CCD
(Charge-Coupled Device) mode or the CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide
Semiconductor) mode. As shown in FIG. 5, the camera sensor module
47 of CCD or CMOS mode has PDs 51-1 to 5N-n corresponding to the
number of pixels in the camera device. The PDs in the form of a
matrix, as shown in FIG. 5, are simplified so as to represent the
characteristics of the optical sensor of the camera sensor module
47 during a CCD or CMOS mode.
[0032] In operation, each PD 51-1 to 5N-n transforms the incident
light into signal charges (electrons). Thus, the PD 51-1 to 5N-n
can act as a receiver when provided in the visible light
short-range communication system. Each of the pixels in one camera
sensor module 47 of a CCD/CMOS mode divides the transmission
wavelength so that each pixel may receive different information.
When communication functions are performed, the camera driver 46
causes only a predetermined number of pixels in the camera sensor
module 47 to activate in order to receive communication signals.
Then, the data inputted through such activated pixels are
transferred to the demodulator 49. In contrast, when camera
functions are performed, the camera sensor module 47 having PDs
51-1 to 5N-n, which corresponds to the number of pixels of the
camera device, is activated to sequentially transfer the electric
signals captured by the PDs to the image signal processor 48
according to a predetermined algorithm, thereby presenting
images.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation steps of
carrying out visible light short-range communication according to
the present invention.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 6, a selection between the camera sensor
module and the LED module is made in the wireless terminal when
carrying out visible light short-range communication using a camera
device according to the present invention (in step 61).
[0035] When the communication mode is selected (in step 62), input
signals to the LED driver 44 for operating the LED module 45 of the
wireless terminal are set to be directed to the modulator 50 for
modulating the data for short-range communication (in step 63).
Next, electric signals inputted thorough a predetermined number of
PDs activated by the control signals for activating the PDs of the
camera sensor module 47 are set to be transferred to the
demodulator 49 (in step 64). Accordingly, the visible light
short-range communication functions are accomplished through the
activated PDs with an external device in step 65.
[0036] Meanwhile, when the camera mode is selected (in step 62),
the LED module 45 and the camera sensor module 47 of the wireless
terminal are set as a conventional input/output device for
operating a camera so as to perform camera functions (in step
66).
[0037] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of data
transmission/reception between wireless terminals for carrying out
visible light short-range communication using a camera device
according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, data
transmission/reception if a wireless terminal is made between two
wireless terminals 71, 72, each equipped with a flash LED and a
camera sensor.
[0038] FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of
data transmission/reception of a wireless terminal for carrying out
visible light short-range communication using a camera device
according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, data
transmission/reception of a wireless terminal for carrying out
visible light short-range communication using a camera device may
be made between an AP (Access Point) 81 having an LED lamp and a
wireless terminal 82 equipped with a flash LED and a camera sensor.
Various types of APs that may be used in data
transmission/reception include an advertising panel, an electric
lamp, a signboard, etc.
[0039] As can be seen from the foregoing, according to the present
invention, it is possible to perform visible light short-range
communication using widely popularized wireless terminals equipped
with camera functions, without the need of additional interface
modules. This has an effect of reducing the size of terminals and
reducing the fabrication cost.
[0040] Further, the system according to the present invention may
be realized as a program and stored in a recording medium (CD ROM,
RAM, a floppy disc, a hard disc, a magneto-optical disc, etc.) in a
form readable by a computer.
[0041] While the invention has been shown and described with
reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *